Game apparatus



Jan. 5, 1960 H. B. HEAPE GAME APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1957 n. w a 1 Q- m 6H 2 w .5 2 M a i w /W lur.| 2r 3 Z wwwi g Q Ea N /3 m 2 \H W J V haw/+1 2 m mm mm H E N B R W pm m E T Ir- A M V: B

United htates Patent GAME APPARATUS Helen B. Heape, St. Louis, Mo.

Application June 21, 1957, Serial No. 667,184

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-108) This invention pertains to improvements in game apparatus and more particularly has the object of providing a portable game apparatus which is compact in form, simple, and conveniently portable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game consisting of spinning a top which is adapted to pass through openings and upset pins hitherto standing in an upright position, in order to gain points,

Another object of the invention is to provide a number of walls, with top-admitting openings disposed therein, which will cause the spinning top to be deflected and rebound when the top strikes against the wall portion, or to pass though the openings when the top is projected at the proper angle, to upset pins and gain points.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of the game board and the pieces positioned thereon.

Figure 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the game board is indicated by the reference character 1. The game board is provided with side walls 2 and 3 and end walls 4 and 5.

Partition 6 extends across the game board 1, dividing it into halves and is provided with the large central opening 7, best shown in Figure 3. A partition 8 extends across the game board 1, at its left end in Figure 1. Partition 8 is intersected by the smaller partitions 9 and 10, so that compartments, three in number are formed, between the end wall 4, the partition 8 and the partitions 9 and 10.

Partitions 9 and 10 are each provided with an opening 11, similar in shape to the central opening 7 in partition 6, but the openings 11 are not as wide. Partition 8 is provided with four openings 11, two leading into the central compartment and one leading into each of the corner compartments.

At the other end of the game board, in opposite corners are two compartments formed by the partitions 12, 13 and 14, 15. Each of these four partitions is provided with a small opening 11.

The spinning top element 16 is best depicted in Figure 3. There it wil be seen to rest against the two guide members 17, 18. The end wall is provided with a circular hole 19 through which a string 20, wrapped around the body of the top element 16, is passed. The string 20 terminates at the handle, 21, to which it is securely tied.

ice

Pins 22, fifteen in number are disposed on the game board 1, in the following manner. Ten of the pins 22 are placed in upright condition in the relative positions shown in Figure 1 between the partition 6 and the partition 8. To these ten pins I assign the value of 10 points each.

In each of the four corners of the board I place a pin 22. To the ones at the right end of the board, as depicted in Figure l, I assign the values of 25 points. To those in the left end of the board I assign the values of 50 points each.

Finally I place a pin in the central compartment at the left end of the board, between the partitions 8, 4, 9 and 10. To this pin I assign the value of points.

To play the game, it is merely necessary to place the top 16 in the position shown in Figure 1, with the string 20 wrapped around it, and passed through the hole 19 in end Wall 5.

The handle 21 is then grasped firmly and pulled. This movement causes the string to unwind from the top 16 and impart a spinning motion to the latter. As the string comes free of the top 16 the latter springs forth, away from the guide members 17 and 18. Depending upon the number of times that the string has been wound around the top 16, the length of the string and the manner in which the string is pulled free of the top, the top will spin out at various angles. The top then strikes the side walls or end walls or the partition 6, and rebounds back and forth.

After a rebound or two the top will pass through an opening 11 in the walls 12, 13, 14 or 15 and knock over one of the pins 22 therein. Or the top 16 may pass through the central opening 7 in the partition 6 and knock over several of the ten pins disposed between partitions 6 and 8. After further rebounds the top may pass through the opening 11 in the partitions 8, 9 and 10 to knock over any of the three pins disposed in the three compartments at the left end of the board in Figure 1. Finally, the top 16, through successive rebounds and striking of the pins, loses its energy and comes to rest. To evaluate the players score, I count up the values of the pins knocked over by the top.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

What is claimed is:

A game apparatus including a game board, partition walls supported by the game board and forming compartments, a top element, a plurality of openings in said partition walls giving access to said compartments, game pins placed in an upright position on said game board within said compartment, said top element consisting of a wooden cylinder tapered at one end and provided with a wooden disk surmounting its other end and adapted to pass through said openings in the partition walls to engage and upset said pins, said openings characterized by being of a shape only slightly larger than necessary to admit the top element, a string member windable at one end around said top element, a pair of curved top guide elements both attached to a wall and against which said top element is placed, said string member passing through said wall between said top guide elements, and a handle to which said string member is attached at the other end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 63,891 Hoadley Apr. 16, 1867 2,252,451 Anderson Aug. 12, 1941 2,627,412 Bronson Feb. 3, 1953 

